


Kuebiko- chapter 2

by bobasheebaby



Series: Monsters [2]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Abuse, Dark, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Gen, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:48:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22538854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobasheebaby/pseuds/bobasheebaby
Summary: Olivia and Liam meet Emma.
Relationships: Liam/Olivia Nevrakis, Main Character (The Royal Romance)/Original Character(s)
Series: Monsters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621735
Kudos: 2





	Kuebiko- chapter 2

_Kuebiko: A feeling of physical and mental exhaustion that happens after acts of violence takes place._

“I thought we talked about this Emma! You can’t go around flirting with every fucking guy you meet or they’ll get the idea that they can fuck you.” His fingernails dug crescents into her freckled skin. “But they can’t, can they?!”

Emma glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one from work was witnessing her talk with her boyfriend. “Please, Trey, we can’t talk here. I’ll lose my job if my boss finds us again.” She tried to pull her arm from his vice-like grip but instead cried out in pain as his nails dug deeper into her skin.

“I can do whatever I want _whenever_ I want,” Trey growled as he yanked her arm. Her small body flew into his chest; to anyone watching, they appeared to be holding each other in a loving embrace. “You are mine and only mine.”

Emma let out a pained whimper. “Only yours, Trey, I _belong_ to only you.” Her breath caught as she noticed a flicker of light flash behind him. She exhaled when she realized that it was the redhead she had been servicing for the last two hours smoking a cigarette and not a coworker. Their eyes met briefly before Trey jostled her to get her attention. She lifted her head to meet his gaze.

“Now go back to that table and tell them that you are taken, understood?” He shoved her backward and released her, her petite body stumbling as she tried to steady herself.

“Yes,” Emma nodded, her eyes trained to the ground. She knew better than to try to make eye contact when he was this upset.

“Good. Don’t you ever behave that way again.”

–

Olivia nodded towards Emma as she slid back into the booth after finishing her cigarette. “She has a Constantine,” she murmured as she picked up her gin and soda. Liam nodded, his face even. If he had his way, all abusers would feel a blade twist in their chest.

“How are we doing over here?” Emma asked as her hands nervously tucked a strand of her short strawberry blond hair behind her ear. Liam noticed her voice was friendly but she averted her gaze when speaking with them.

“Everything okay?” He asked before taking a sip of his scotch, “You seem _different_ since we last saw you.”

Emma’s green eyes darted to Olivia. Her heart started pounding in her chest as Olivia lifted her brow, her eyes confirming that she knew all about her confrontation with Trey. “Oh, everything’s fine,” she quickly responded as she prayed they’d drop it. “Now, can I interest you in our dessert menu? Our pastry chef makes a chocolate lava cake to die for.”

“There are very few things in life worth dying for,” Olivia cooly stated before watching Emma’s face whiten.

Liam shot Olivia a quick glance. “Do you have vanilla ice cream?” He smiled at Emma before taking Olivia’s hand, his fingernails digging into the flesh of her palm.

“Vanilla bean and Madagascar vanilla. Made in house. Can I interest you in a scoop?”

“One of each. Everyone thinks of vanilla as plain, but I find it quite exquisite. I like to think I appreciate the small things that others overlook. Isn’t that right, Olivia?”

Olivia took a slow sip of her drink as she formulated her thoughts. She held her glass up to shield the grimace spreading along her lips. “Emma, tell me, does your Trey often visit you at work and accuse you of trying to fuck your patrons?”

Her throat grew tight. _Please don’t make this a big deal. If Trey finds out it will only make things worse._ “I should go get your dessert—”

“Emma,” Olivia’s voice was tender with a commanding bite.

Emma paused and turned back to the table and pasted a smile on her face. “I’m sorry, did you want to order dessert too?”

“Oh, God no,” she laughed. “I just want to know if you’re happy.”

Emma subconsciously shook her head and left to fetch Liam’s ice cream. _People like me don’t get happy._

“Olivia…”

“What Liam?” She spat. “I’m sorry, I saw her with her partner—she’s in a shit situation. It’s worth a shot. After all, didn’t we come to the states to find someone? She seems like the type who is easily manipulated.”

“I know,” he murmured as he gently massaged the abused flesh of her palm. “I’m just sour that things didn’t work out with Juliet. She was such a tender thing.“

"I never expected things to work out on the first try.”

Their words were cut short when Emma returned with Liam’s ice cream. Two different vanillas garnished with a tiny strawberry.

–

Emma’s eyes flickered from her last table to the clock on the wall. _Leave, please leave._ She needed to finish cleaning before she closed up and, at this rate, she would be stuck well past when Trey wanted her home.

_Come on, come on. You’re making this worse._

Tears pricked at her eyes as she envisioned Trey waiting for her drunk in the dark. He was always drunk when she got home late. He would accuse her of cheating, again; since he had already warned her that night the beating she faced would be even worse. She would be thankful if she blacked out after the first few blows. _If you actually cared about yourself you’d leave._

The couple had been nice enough and made her laugh– _that_ had been her mistake. Now, they were going to be the reason for his violence tonight without realizing it. _I have to get them out of here_ , she thought as she threw the damp rag onto the bar top and smoothed her shaking hands over her apron. She hated tossing patrons who stayed past closing because she hated confrontation and making others angry, but she knew she would contend with far worse at home. She smiled as she approached their table, trying her best to make it believable when inside she was thinking about how each additional minute she was late would increase Trey’s anger even more.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said, trying to keep her voice even, “We’re closing up for the night.” She glanced at the clock as Liam slowly took his credit card from his wallet.

“I’m sorry we kept you late. We were having a wonderful evening and lost track of the time.”

Emma took the card, nodding quickly as she spun on her heel to process his payment.

Olivia’s gaze shot to Liam, her brow raised in silent question. It was clear she was terrified, others might miss the subtle changes, but they could read them. They used to live _that_ fear.

Liam nodded imperceptibly. Olivia was right—they couldn’t let her return to that scumbag. Even if she wasn’t the one they were looking for they couldn’t allow her boyfriend to continue to abuse her.

Emma returned shortly and handed Liam his card and receipt to sign. He smiled as he took it, giving Olivia a nod as he started filling out the receipt.

“Emma,” Olivia said, her voice far softer and kinder than it had been all evening. She reached out her hand, gently touching Emma’s. “We can help you.”

Emma pulled back her hand at her touch. It was warm and inviting but she couldn’t think about that; she needed them to leave. “You can help by leaving.” Her voice shook. “I’m sure you understand that it is late and my boyfriend worries when I’m late.”

–

Olivia stood in front of the restaurant with a cigarette while Liam watched the back. They needed to get her alone in order to talk to her. They knew what she would face when she got home and they needed to prevent it from happening. She noticed the lights inside flick off as Emma walked to the front door. She sent a quick text to Liam and watched as she locked the door before approaching her.

“Emma,” Olivia said as she slowly approached. “I know you might be wondering why we are persistent to talk with you. We want to help you. I used to be in your situation, having someone who thought they owned me, who felt they could do whatever they wanted to me whenever they pleased.” She tapped another cigarette from her pack. “Cigarette?” She kept her tone even and devoid of emotion. Inside, she tensed and felt rage at what she used to endure, what others still did.

“I don’t smoke. But really, I know you think you understand, but it’s different. He—”

“What, Emma? He loves you? He cares for you? That’s not love.” Olivia took a long drag before slowly blowing it out. “Love isn’t fear. Love isn’t living until the day he delivers the deadly blow.”

Emma stood quiet. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, alerting her to someone behind her. She turned her head quickly and relaxed once she saw it was not Trey. She blew out a breath of relief. Had it been him she may not have survived; being seen with the objects of his anger again, after closing, would have made him angrier than ever.

“You thought I was him?” Liam said softly as he stepped next to Olivia.

Emma blinked back tears as she nodded. For the last hour, all she wanted was to get home. Now, she felt like her time had expired. She knew she was fucked.

“We’ve helped people before—ourselves, others in your situation—removed certain _stressors_ from their lives.”

“I don’t have anyone else,” she whispered, “Trey is the only one I have.”

“And you won’t have him for long because he will kill you. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday.”

“We have done this before. We’re good. Let’s pay Trey a visit and then we’ll help you get back on your feet. We are actually visiting from our home in Europe,” Liam said. “If you couldn’t guess from our accent we are Cordonian.”

“You could come back with us. We have a private jet and no one would know. You just–poof–vanish.”

“How is that possible? How can you do … things … and get away with it?” Emma’s mind swirled at the possibilities being offered.

Liam and Olivia exchanged smiles. “Should we show her Liam?”

“I think we should.”

Emma’s brow furrowed as she watched Olivia open her bag and pull out two passports. Two _diplomatic_ passports. “We are both rather important people in Cordonia. We are also very skilled at what we do.”

Emma’s heart pounded in her chest at the possibility of being free. On one hand, she went home and took what was coming, continued going down the path that would someday end in her death. On the other, she took action, took their offer, and reclaimed her life.

_Tic toc_

Time moved slowly as she examined her options from every angle. She wanted to be certain before she made a choice. Either way, there would be no going back, no do-over. She would have to accept the fate she chose.

“Okay,” she slowly nodded. She couldn’t live in fear anymore. She needed to be in control of her destiny no matter what tomorrow would bring.

Olivia softly hooked her arm with Emma’s. “Let’s make a plan.”


End file.
